Results 261-280 of 11,583 for speaker:Jim O'Callaghan

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Refugee Resettlement Programme (9 Oct 2025)

Jim O'Callaghan: I propose to take Questions Nos. 258 and 259 together. Due to severe shortages of accommodation over recent years, from December 2023, the State had insufficient capacity within the international protection accommodation system to accommodate all applicants requesting material reception conditions. IPAS prioritised accommodation for women, families and those with specific needs, meaning...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Deportation Orders (9 Oct 2025)

Jim O'Callaghan: I propose to take Questions Nos. 260, 261, 262 and 263 together. It is a central priority for me that Ireland’s immigration system is robust and rules based. The enforcement aspects of our laws, including deportation orders, are an essential requirement for the system to work effectively and to ensure that there is confidence in the application of our legislation in this area. ...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Departmental Budgets (9 Oct 2025)

Jim O'Callaghan: I propose to take Questions Nos. 264, 265 and 266 together. BedSpace is a digital bed management service that has enabled our teams to move from a manual processing system to an online, digitised accommodation management system. Bedspace replaces a manual system whereby IPAS and all accommodation centres shared updates on resident numbers, movements and bed availability by weekly returns...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Departmental Data (9 Oct 2025)

Jim O'Callaghan: As the Deputy is aware, Ireland has opted in to the EU Asylum and Migration Pact which will come into effect in June 2026. The Pact will provide a fair, sustainable and efficient asylum procedure. This will be achieved through convergence in asylum practices across the EU. My Department continues to focus on preparing for the Pact in advance of June 2026. The General Scheme of a new...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Departmental Staff (9 Oct 2025)

Jim O'Callaghan: It has not been possible to collate the information requested by the Deputy in the time available. I will write to the Deputy directly once the information is to hand.

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Common Travel Area (9 Oct 2025)

Jim O'Callaghan: It is a central priority for me that our immigration system is robust and enforced. In developing the State’s national implementation plan for the EU Migration and Asylum Pact, my Department were satisfied that the new measures will not have any significant impact on the Common Travel Area (CTA). The protection of an open border on the island of Ireland remains a key priority...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Departmental Data (9 Oct 2025)

Jim O'Callaghan: As the Deputy is aware, Ireland has opted in to the EU Migration and Pact which will come into effect in June 2026. The overall objective of the Pact measures, on which the new International Protection Bill shall be based, is to provide for a fair, sustainable and efficient asylum procedure that is fit for purpose and which can respond effectively to fluctuations in migratory flows through...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Departmental Inquiries (9 Oct 2025)

Jim O'Callaghan: Further to my response to PQs 53380/25 and 53381/25, I have not received a request for a meeting from the family of the person concerned. In the event that such a request is received I will, of course, consider it.

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: European Court of Justice (9 Oct 2025)

Jim O'Callaghan: I welcome the judgment of the Court of Justice of the European Union of 2 October. The State supported a referral by the High Court for a preliminary ruling seeking clarity and guidance on the nature of damages that should be covered in a national scheme for compensation to victim of violent intentional crimes. The High Court will now consider the implications of the judgment and decide the...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Departmental Inquiries (9 Oct 2025)

Jim O'Callaghan: I propose to take Questions Nos. 273 and 274 together. Based on the information supplied by the Deputy, it has unfortunately not been possible to locate applications for the persons referred to. However, if the Deputy can provide any additional information and personal details via my Department's Immigration Oireachtas service at IMoireachtasmail@justice.ie, I will arrange for a further...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Departmental Data (9 Oct 2025)

Jim O'Callaghan: The collation and publication of crime stats are a matter for the Central Statistics Office (CSO). The CSO is the national statistics agency, established under the Statistics Act 1993. Under section 13 of the Statistics Act 1993, the Central Statistics Office (CSO) is fully independent in its role of publishing statistics, and the standards applied to these statistics. Further to this,...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Departmental Data (9 Oct 2025)

Jim O'Callaghan: In recent weeks Ireland has seen an increase in arrivals from Ukraine. One of the factors contributing to this rise appears to be a Ukrainian regulation allowing men aged 18 to 22 to leave the Ukraine once again. The highest number of temporary protection beneficiaries in Ireland continues to be women and children. My Department continues to monitor all trends carefully, but cannot predict...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Family Law Cases (9 Oct 2025)

Jim O'Callaghan: As the Deputy will be aware, my Department committed to undertake both a public consultation and independent research on the topic of parental alienation. The Department of Justice commissioned research into the area in 2021 and the open consultation on Parental Alienation was then held in May 2022. The findings of both were analysed and, arising from this, Departmental officials developed a...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Departmental Data (9 Oct 2025)

Jim O'Callaghan: I propose to take Questions Nos. 279, 280, 281 and 282 together. Through the Programme for Government and the Youth Justice Strategy, I am committed to improving outcomes for young people at risk of a life of criminality through investment in youth justice services. The statutory framework relating to young offenders (between the ages of 12 and 18 years of age), and inclusion in the...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: An Garda Síochána (9 Oct 2025)

Jim O'Callaghan: Getting more Gardaí on our streets to prevent crime is my first priority as Minister for Justice. This Government is committed to ensuring that An Garda Síochána has the resources it needs to fight crime and a strengthened, well-resourced Garda organisation is central to this policy. The Garda Vote in Budget 2026 includes unprecedented funding of €2.59 billion...

Financial Resolutions 2025 - Financial Resolution No. 5: General (Resumed) (8 Oct 2025)

Jim O'Callaghan: I welcome the opportunity to speak in this debate. At the start, I am pleased to say that I and my colleagues, the Ministers of State, Deputies Brophy and Collins, have secured an allocation of €6.17 billion for the justice sector in this year's budget. This is a record allocation that involves a €330 million increase on last year and it will allow us to invest in a number of...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: International Protection (8 Oct 2025)

Jim O'Callaghan: I propose to take Questions Nos. 260 and 264 together. It is a central priority for me that Ireland’s immigration system is robust and rules based. Returning people who do not have permission to remain in Ireland is undertaken through voluntary returns and deportation. Both types of returns are essential for the system to work effectively and to ensure that there is confidence in the...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: International Protection (8 Oct 2025)

Jim O'Callaghan: I propose to take Questions Nos. 261, 262 and 263 together. Ireland is currently accommodating almost 33,000 people seeking international protection in 319 International Protection Accommodation Service (IPAS) centres around the country. Due to severe shortages of accommodation over recent years, from December 2023, the State was unable to offer accommodation to all people seeking...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: International Protection (8 Oct 2025)

Jim O'Callaghan: Implementing a child payment for children in the international protection process remains under consideration following the international protection reception function’s transition to the Department of Justice. Home Affairs, and Migration in May of this year. This will be considered in the context of the development of a new International Protection Act, priorities under the new...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: International Protection (8 Oct 2025)

Jim O'Callaghan: I can advise the Deputy that Section 51A of the International Protection Act 2015 provides for the making of a return order where an international protection application has been determined as inadmissible. An international protection application may be determined as inadmissible where certain conditions are met in accordance with section 21 of the same Act. This situation will typically...